Puerto Rico seeks federal emergency declaration amid severe drought

Puerto Rico's Resident Commissioner in Washington, Pablo José Hernández, announced Friday that he has formally requested the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) declare an agricultural emergency for 29 municipalities across the island. The severe drought conditions are significantly impacting crops and agricultural lands, prompting the urgent plea for federal assistance.

Hernández, alongside nine members of Congress, penned a letter to U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins. They urged the declaration of these 29 municipalities as disaster areas due to drought, citing their fulfillment of established USDA criteria. "A federal declaration would help affected farmers secure emergency financing to recover from crop losses, tend to their livestock, and prevent the drought from forcing them to reduce or close operations," Hernández explained.

Farmers in the central-south and southwest regions are already facing water usage restrictions. Municipalities like Cabo Rojo have reported substantial crop losses, with coffee, avocado, plantain, pepper, and coconut among the most affected crops. The congress members emphasized the increasing pressure on Puerto Rico's agricultural sector, noting that many producers are still grappling with the aftermath of past natural disasters and deteriorating infrastructure.

According to USDA regulations, a municipality qualifies for an accelerated agricultural disaster designation if it experiences eight consecutive weeks of severe drought or reaches extreme or exceptional drought levels during the agricultural season. San Germán has met the eight-week severe drought criterion, while the other 28 municipalities have reached extreme drought levels. The affected municipalities include Aibonito, Barranquitas, Cabo Rojo, Caguas, Canóvanas, Carolina, Cayey, Coamo, Guánica, Guayama, Guayanilla, Gurabo, Juana Díaz, Juncos, Lajas, Las Piedras, Naguabo, Orocovis, Peñuelas, Ponce, Río Grande, Sabana Grande, Salinas, San Germán, San Juan, Santa Isabel, Trujillo Alto, Villalba, and Yauco.